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May 2008 headlines (issue 22)

Weedon quits over delays
Delays to development of UK noise policy has pushed prominent noise campaigner Val Weedon to quit.

Councils told not to overdeclare tranquillity
News of Weedon’s departure (above) emerged at the recent Quiet Conference opened by presenter Jonathan Dimbleby.
Minister Jonathan Shaw warned local authorities (who have input into quiet areas): “Any inappropriate adoption of a tranquillity indicator to prevent new development and activities must be looked at very carefully.”

Epuk loses patience
Epuk (formerly the NSCA) has written to noise minister Jonathan Shaw seeking a date for the completion of the national noise strategy. The strategy has been much delayed

Westminster plans own strategy
Westminster City Council is developing its own noise strategy.

London Underground loses PA battle
London Underground has been saddled with costs of £115,000 after it abandoned its appeal against an abatement notice.

Local authorities poised for action week
Noise Action Week is looming – 19th-23rd May – and the event’s organiser Epuk says the event will once again provide the opportunity to give noise a proper hearing at local level.
l www.noiseactionweek.org.uk

Bristol latest to go online...
Bristol has published an interactive noise map online. It has been developing its noise map over the past few months but has now added the clickable map to its website.
l http://maps.bristol.gov.uk/noisemap/viewer.htm

... as London maps pulled
London noise maps, produced nearly four years ago, have been pulled off the web.

Guidance and device approval for premises
Defra has issued guidance to English local authorities on the new night noise powers available for dwellings and licensed premises which exceed the “permitted level” of noise prescribed under the Noise Act 1996 as amended by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
l Guidance to local authorities in England – Noise Act offence for licensed premises and Measuring devices (Noise Act 1996) (England) Approval 2008 and permitted level of noise (England) directions 2008 can be viewed on www.defra.gov.uk/environment/noise/noiseact.htm

Anase: ‘Shambles’
The local authority Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (Sasig) has described the Anase study as “a shambles”.

Europe seeks help
Europe is seeking a consultant through the European Journal to help it review the noise directive 2002/49/EC.

Mapping equivalence
The European Commission has proposed a series of protocols to allow member states to test whether the mapping systems they are using can demonstrate equivalence.
l http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/noisedir/home

Ecotowns quiet?
A consultation on Ecotowns does not mention noise.
l Eco-towns: Living a greener future – consultation paper
www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/ecotownsgreenerfuture

BV props up Defra
Bureau Veritas has been re-appointed by Defra for the provision of acoustic advisory services to their noise and nuisance team.

Inaudibility: is it possible?
Is it reasonable to combine the buzz of city centre living with isolation from the entertainment noise around? Lisa Russell reports

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